Friday, August 11, 2006

Travel and Knitting

Sangeeta, you asked for pictures. Your wish is my command! (By the way, picture upload is working better for me tonight via Firefox. No such luck with MSIE).

First of all, some pictures from Sunday evening's train travels.

The train stopped at the perfect spot in D.C. for me to take this: before we eased into the tunnel to Union Station. I feel quite patriotic whenever I pass venerable government buildings such as these.

Inside Union Station is the Grand Hall which is breath-taking:

Isn't that architecture phenomenal? Looks like an opera house.

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Even the exterior corridors are dramatic and beautiful:

The guy with the backback proceeded to panhandle me. I love D.C.

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I finished my Eros skinny scarf on the train Sunday and wore it with my blue suit on Monday:

Close-up

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After all the air travel chaos on Thursday, I was sorely glad I travel by train these days. The extent of our "heightened" security was a bored cop milling around. We rail riders definitely don't have the hassles of airport security, but we're all the more vulnerable for it. If America sees anything like what's happened in London, India or Madrid, that'll be the end of passenger rail travel in the U.S.

Anyway, here's my view from the platform at the BWI Amtrak station Thursday evening:

Where, oh where is my train?

Nowhere to be found in this direction, either. ***

Not to worry - it did arrive, finally, and I made it home safe and sound, and only slightly worse for wear after being subjected to the inane chatter of the 20-something Crate & Barrel interns sitting in front of me. God forgive me if I ever had such shallow conversations.

Despite the bimbettes, I happily cast on for the Mason-Dixon ball band dishcloth:

I love this pattern! Love it!

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The yarn is Plymouth Fantasy Naturale mercerized cotton I picked up at Unraveled awhile back. This is such a fun knit -- I see more of these dishcloths in my future! Even the back of it is cool looking, and I meant to take a picture of that, but forgot. Will try to do so when it's finished.

I still don't understand how that stitch can be slipped for three rows, without being stretched way out of shape, but it magically works! I think this "warshrag" might go well in my beach-living sister's kids' bathroom which is very brightly decorated and beachy. Should I make the second one match the first, or swap the colors and knit it with pink as the main color and blue as the edging? It may all depend on how much yarn is left after this first one is complete.

I'm dying to knit some more on it, so I think I will end this post and try to get another repeat done tonight before bed.

I love your ballband! I use mine as a washcloth in the shower, and just used on-hand colors. But yours is GREAT! coral and blue.

I leave for Ireland in about a week, and I am stressing out over the flight more than usual with the new security measures. The brits have lots of expereince with terrorist plots....and they do not mess around! and we are flying to dublin, not the UK at all. Still scary.

If I dont come back make sure to find good homes for my stash!!! and needles! and pattern books! ok?

Yes I was amazed at how grand Union Station was when I was there a few weeks back! And they don't even check your ID's to board the train. It's is very relaxing, isn't it? In Charlottesville, they didn't even take my ticket at all! I am going to have to get the Mason-Dixon book. I've been seeing those dishcloths everywhere! Love the scarf too!